The Last Fight
by XsilverXdoeX
Summary: DH SPOILERS!  The end of the book from Voldemort's side, beginning with a BellatrixVoldemort little tryst.


The Last Fight

The rushing joy could not be spoilt by the crushing sensation of Apparition. The stinging pain in Bellatrix's left forearm was blissful, always always awaiting his call, she welcomed it gladly. The tightness released her and air flooded her lungs, heavy with the odor of mold and expensive wine. Bellatrix's dark eyes took a moment to adjust to the dim red light from the dying embers. She saw what looked like a large ruby floating above the fireplace, but when the contents swirled she realized that it was a wine glass, gripped by long white fingers. The glass rose until its rim met thin white lips and with calmly shut, crimson eyes, he inhaled deeply the sweet fragrance and sipped.

"My Lord, I am here." Bellatrix said as if he had not heard the telltale _crack_ of her arrival

"Yesss, I am aware of that Bellatrix." He spoke in a soft, high-pitched hiss, "I sent for you."

Bellatrix nodded. A wave of purpose and fulfillment rippled from the brand on her arm, "You did, my Lord, and I cam to you at once." She said in a controlled voice, "What is your bidding, my Lord?"

"We are going to battle, Bellatrix, tonight." Lord Voldemort said, his voice was slightly louder, "And Hogwarts shall be our battlefield."

Bellatrix's dark eyes grew round, "But, my Lord—"

"Do you dare to question my judgment?" he set down the glass on the mantle and lifted his wand to the light, thinking it the Elder Wand. Delicious fear washed over Bellatrix for she would gladly welcome death by her master's wand.

"No, my Lord, _never_, my Lord, I mean only to say…" She boldly met the crimson eyes. They were so calm and yet always only seconds from murder, enslavement and torture, "My Lord, what news of the Potter boy?"

Lord Voldemort released a cold laugh, "The fool has gone to Hogwarts and selfishly endangered his friends! The Chosen One? The Boy Who Lived? A valiant hero? I think not!"

"Indeed, my Lord, you are correct." Bellatrix praised, "You are so far superior to Potter, they speak of _love_ and _caring_, but you say he has returned to Hogwarts which will surely result in high casualties!"

Voldemort nodded, something like a smile twisting his mouth, "Yesss, it is utter hypocrisy. Yet, Bellatrix, tonight is no mere battle or murder, tonight the prophecy is fulfilled and my empire shall begin!" he sipped his wine again thoughtfully, "And I have a plan that shall use the boy's weaknesses to my advantage. It cannot fail."

"No, my Lord, of course not." Bellatrix said, not daring to mention the many other plans he had thought up that he thought were infallible, "You shall triumph, my Lord, and those who have slandered you and defied you shall either surrender or perish. At last you shall be acknowledged as Lord by all!"

"Bellatrix, you have been loyal to me." He said in a meaningful voice, "You have remained true to me."

Although it was not a question, Bellatrix nodded and said in a throaty voice, "Yes, my Lord, I have."

The same mad, sneering smile formed on his face again and the red firelight cast black shadows across one half of his snake-like face while the other side appeared scarlet. His eyes glowed, "The Dark Lord is merciful. He does not take loyalty and valor for granted." Bellatrix listened and watched attentively in silent disbelief, "It is an easy job to find followers but very difficult to find those who shall be true and go to any means to achieve my goal."

"I will, my Lord, I would do anything for your cause and would never think of _betrayal._" She spat the last word.

He nodded, red eyes gleaming, "Yesss…" he hissed and for a moment she mistook the rest as Parseltongue it was so like a snake, "Yesss, Bellatrixxxxx, I know thissss. And because the Dark Lord is so merciful that he knows that true followers must be rewarded."

"Rewarded, my Lord?"

"Indeed, rewarded, what do you desire?" he asked.

"I wish only to serve my Lord till my dying breath escapes my lips." She replied at once.

"And if my wish were to claim those very lips…?" he sat his glass down once more on the mantle and took a single, smooth, gliding step in her direction.

"My Lord…" Bellatrix searched his face, her innards squirming and coiling. His red eyes widened in question and she whispered, "There could be no higher honor, my Lord."

And with another brief, twisted smile his lips were upon hers. Not gentle and cautious like the kisses of Rodulphus but as violent as his nature. He slipped a slick tongue past her lips and it felt as if venom entered her and spread from her mouth through her body. Suddenly his ghostly, long-fingered hands were on her back and she was flush against him. She tentatively slipped her tongue into his mouth and conscious thought evaporated. She didn't know if seconds or hours passed or how they ended up slumped against the wall opposite the fireplace when Voldemort withdrew and he said, "Bellatrixxxxx" savoring the flavor of her name on his tongue.

She allowed herself a genuine smile and spoke softly the name that even Death Eaters feared, "Voldemort."

He smiled, but it was not the twisted sneer this time but a human smile and for a split-second Bellatrix saw the handsome face of a dark-haired, dark-eyed youth that she recognized as Tom Riddle, although she had never seen him. Voldemort was watching her and he said, "Bellatrix, sleep with me."

She recognized it as a command and with a wave of his wand she was undressed, her robes in a neat pile.

"Bellatrix, no one knows that one of the Dark Lord's only weaknesses is desire." He hissed, "It is one human quality that I never was rid of and I am glad of it." His eyes roved up and down her body and he whispered, "I desire you, _Bella_."

A shiver ran throughout her.

-

It was all a blur of steam, sweat, moans and hisses. Bellatrix had never known passion until she was subject to it beneath emerald silk. She never had known the true power of Lord Voldemort until she had felt it within her. Finally, with an explosion of fire, ice, hate and perhaps even the notorious _love_ it was over and she was stolen by sleep.

Bellatrix awoke and met blood-red eyes, "It is time." He hissed.

She blinked rapidly in confusion and then remembered that they were going to battle. She continued to look into the eyes of the most powerful wizard who had ever lived and the corners of her mouth crept upward, "Yes, my Lord."

They stood fully dressed before the fireplace, facing each other. Bellatrix's left arm was extended before him and as he reached a long white forefinger she cried out, "No, my Lord, wait!" he met her eyes, shocked at being given an order by one of his followers.

"My Lord…if I should perish in the battle for your empire…you must know something although you won't much like it…" Bellatrix searched his red eyes, "I love you, my Lord."

He was speechless, even his own Death Eaters, even Bellatrix; even they knew love! He had never known such a thing. As a child, he had known resentment, longing and hate. At school he had known greed, aspiration and arrogance. As an adult he knew loathing, power and bloodlust and as he had confessed; desire. He could hardly fathom her admitting such a foolish thing to him, for she would survive as she had before and so would he. Potter was after the Horcruxes, he had already destroyed the Diary, the Ring, the Locket and perhaps even the Goblet, but he would never find the Diadem or reach Nagini. Harry Potter would die tonight as he should have seventeen years before. Those who had resisted would have nothing without Potter, like a dueler with no wand.

Lord Voldemort did not respond to what Bellatrix had said and then pressed her Dark Mark before Apparating.

-

Hours later, Voldemort sat in the eerie quiet of the Forbidden Forest with a circle of his Death Eaters, watching the violent flames of a bonfire, with Nagini shielded behind him and Bellatrix at his side. Two Death Eaters, Yaxley and Dolohov, entered the clearing and came into the gold firelight. Dolohov spoke, "No sign of him, my Lord." He said of Harry Potter.

"My Lord—" Bellatrix softly spoke but he lifted a white hand and she was quiet at once, and he struggled not to think of her naked form in his arms or her kisses or the so-called _love_ they had made.

"I thought he would come." Lord Voldemort said, surprised Potter would allow more innocents to die, "I expected him to come." Everyone was noiseless, still, breathless as if eagerly awaiting something. There was, indeed, no sign of Harry Potter, "I was, it seems…mistaken."

"You weren't."

Every eye found the dark-haired boy who had spoken and there was uproar of response at Harry's arrival. So he would die at last. Lord Voldemort as well as his Death Eaters stood. The oaf of a Gamekeeper, Hagrid, who Voldemort recalled accusing as the one who had opened the Chamber of Secrets so many years ago, tried to stop Harry, but Rodulphus silenced him. For a moment, Voldemort nearly laughed, Rodulphus did not know that his wife had bedded with his master. She now stood, panting, her eyes shooting between the two foes.

Voldemort cocked his head and smiled the twisted smile again, "Harry Potter, the Boy Who Lived." He mouthed the familiar words as he stared into the green eyes and realized how similar they were to the ones that had cried and pleaded to show mercy seventeen years ago. As the last syllable left his lips, he felt himself thrown to the ground and for what felt like an eternity he felt terrible, helpless agony and feared momentarily that he had broken again, as before, but then he was there and alive and the Death eaters were around him.

He saw Bellatrix first and she cooed the words 'my Lord' until he was forced once again to silence her. She offered him her hand to help him to his feet, "I do not require assistance." He looked at the boy sprawled on the ground, "The boy…is he dead?"

When the words 'he is dead' had left Narcissa Malfoy's mouth, Voldemort knew elation and awe the likes of which he had never known.

-

Things had not quite gone as desired. Voldemort was dueling three opponents, Kingsley Shacklebolt, Minerva McGonagall and the man who had once been his favorite professor, Horace Slughorn, It was almost like a game, but he was not amused. He needed to see Potter's body again…had to be absolutely sure…

He kept glancing at Bellatrix where she was effortlessly dueling three children. He glanced at his own duel for a moment and when he looked at her again she was fighting a short, plump, red-haired woman—a Weasley?—her face distorted with mad rage and hate. Bellatrix was laughing and Voldemort had an epiphany: he loved her…_loved her…?_

Then a blast of light hit the chest he had caressed so recently. She froze and her eyes grew wide and the arms of Death embraced her selfishly. She collapsed and Lord Voldemort screamed. His three opponents were thrown back and he ran towards Bellatrix's killer, blind with misery and fury. After finally finding love it was so quickly lost; he almost was beginning to understand why he was so despised.

But then a shield charm expanded between the Weasley and Voldemort and Harry Potter appeared.

-

Lord Voldemort's head swam with Harry Potter's words. He did not want to believe any of this…were his Horcruxes really all gone? The Horcruxes that he had so carefully made and hidden destroyed, making him as fragile as any other mere human…

"The true master of the Elder Wand was Draco Malfoy." Surprise flooded Voldemort for a second and then he suppressed it.

"But what does it matter?" was his quiet question, "Even if you are right, Potter, it makes no difference to you and me. You no longer have the Phoenix wand: we duel on skill alone…" Voldemort glanced into the crowd, seeking the pale, terrified face of Draco Malfoy, "…and after I have killed you, I can attend to Draco Malfoy…."

"But you're too late; you've missed your chance. I got there first. I overpowered Draco weeks ago. I took this wand from him." He flicked the wand and everyone stared at it, "So it all comes down to this, doesn't it? Does the wand in your hand know that its last master was Disarmed? Because if it does…I am the true master of the Elder Wand."

And the sun came, a false promise of tomorrow to Lord Voldemort. He was beginning to understand that perhaps he would fail. If Harry Potter was being honest, and of course he was, than his wand was unbeatable and it would be the end…but no! He had promised to himself; and wordlessly to Bellatrix, that he would come out on top. Desperately he pointed his wand at Potter and for what seemed like the hundredth time he tried to kill him.

"Avada Kedavra!"

"Expelliarmus!"

Voldemort watched the golden flames at the center of the circle that the two nemeses had been treading. The wands soared upward into the air and as the red eyes followed them with everyone else in the Great Hall, he knew it.

_I'm a failure. I have been conquered, vanquished, defeated…my empire has fallen before it could be built. My mission failed. Good has triumphed. Harry Potter, the Boy Who Lived…this is the end…_

_I am about to die._


End file.
